Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Timaru

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,992 in Timaru, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
96

Cost of Living Index in Timaru
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Timaru Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Timaru

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,992

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Timaru

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Timaru actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,992 in Timaru, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Timaru $1,992

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,048 in Timaru, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Timaru $3,048

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,104 in Timaru, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Timaru $4,104

Chiang Mai is about 53% cheaper than Timaru, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Timaru is 46% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$14.41 NZ$25.59

-84.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$61.3 NZ$109

-69.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$10.87 NZ$19.29

-48.94%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$3.29 NZ$5.84

-49.24%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ฿21.54

$2.13 NZ$3.78

-69.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$1.78 NZ$3.15

-82.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$5.70 NZ$10.11

-58.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$6.12 NZ$10.86

-40.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.15 NZ$2.04

69.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.46

$1.79 NZ$3.17

-19.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.03

$1.12 NZ$1.99

18.75%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$5.98 NZ$10.61

-61.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$8.28 NZ$14.70

98.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$9.21 NZ$16.35

-69.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$16.69 NZ$29.62

-44.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.93 NZ$5.21

-19.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.79

$2.42 NZ$4.29

-59.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.17 NZ$5.63

-49.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$5.25 NZ$9.32

-71.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.11

$1.86 NZ$3.30

-31.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.18

$1.85 NZ$3.29

-40.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$2.32 NZ$4.13

-69.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.55 NZ$0.98

-10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$21.06 NZ$37.40

-80.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$5.57 NZ$9.90

214.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$3.17 NZ$5.63

-49.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$1.26 NZ$2.23

120.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.30

$1.94 NZ$3.45

-55.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$110 NZ$196

-50.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.04

$2.23 NZ$3.97

-47.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$1.79 NZ$3.17

-70.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$28.93 NZ$51.4

-91.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.88

$1.56 NZ$2.76

-7.05%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.1K ฿710.5K

$28.5K NZ$50.6K

-26.06%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.9K ฿909.0K

$22.9K NZ$40.7K

17.41%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$62.2 ฿2,098

$113 NZ$201

-45.05%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.17 ฿411

$22.85 NZ$40.58

-46.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$52.5 NZ$93.2

-61.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$39.92 NZ$70.9

-6.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$11.39 NZ$20.22

-43.02%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$736 ฿24.8K

$590 NZ$1,047

24.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.2K

$16.1K NZ$28.5K

-8.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$59.4 NZ$106

-10.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$35.10 NZ$62.3

-29.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$91.0 NZ$162

0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,427

$137 NZ$244

-47.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$1,108 NZ$1,968

-56.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$921 NZ$1,635

-66.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,790 NZ$3,179

-43.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$1,674 NZ$2,972

-62.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$4,547 NZ$8,073

-48.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$2,866 NZ$5,088

-44.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.07

-21.22%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Timaru: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Timaru

$921 46.2% 198% $612

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Timaru

$302 15.1% 28.7% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Timaru

$145 7.3% 33.7% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Timaru

$188 9.5% 99.5% $94

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Timaru

$244 12.2% 214% $166

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Timaru

$129 6.5% 110% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Timaru

$63 3.2% 24.7% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,108 in Timaru. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $61 in Timaru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $302 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇳🇿 Timaru

🕒 Local time

23:10 11:10 PM

05:10 5:10 AM

6 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

28,600

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 NZD = 0.563 USD

1 NZD = 0.504 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.563 USD). 1 EUR = 1.98 NZD (1 NZD = 0.504 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Timaru 10,130 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Timaru

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Timaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timaru costs about 113% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,987 in Timaru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,108 in Timaru.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $590 in Timaru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Timaru, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,992 in Timaru. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,992 in Timaru. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 53% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.